Improvement in burglar-alarms



A. -JfRIDGEWAYI Burglar-Alarm.

'No. 222,533. Patented Dec. 9, 1879.

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ANDREW J. RIDGEWAY, or MILL GREEK, Witsr VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BURGLAR-ALARMS.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 222,533, dated December 9, 1879; application filed october 10, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. RIDGE- WAY, of Mill Greek, in the county of Berkeley and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Burglar-Alarms, of which the following is a specilication.

Vand I provide for the accomplishment ot' either one of these objects alone, or of` all three together, as may be desired.

ln the accompanyin g drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan View, showing the alarm set. Fig. 2 is a plan View, showing the alarm unset; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing the alarm unset.

A indicates a bed-plate, to which my appa- In this bed-plate is formed nected att-he rear end to a pivoted trigger, C,

which is pressed against by a spring, D, to

keep it normally in position for engaging with a catch, E, upon the rear endof the plunger F. 'Ihisplunger is secured by guides G G yupon the surface of the bed-plate, and is provided on its front end with percussion-ham- A pistol-barrel, H, having one or more bores, so as to contain either one or several zcharges, is placed in front of the plunger in snclr'apositlon as to be struck by the percussion-hammers.

l have shown this pistol-barrel as adapted for breech-loading cartridges; but it may be provided with nipples for the reception of caps, to be adapted to muzzle-loading, if preferred.

i The plunger contains within its interior a `the plunger when the plunger is retracted.

The bell may be placed upon the plunger, if

preferred, and the catch may be properly secured to the bed-plate to hold it when the plunger is drawn back. A projection, I, is placed upon the plunger and carries a graterlike surface-such, for instance, as a piece of sand paperfor the purpose of lighting a match, which may be held in proper position in the pivoted arm M immediately over a lamp, N, resting on the bed-plate and held by any suitable appliance. The object of pivoting the match-arm is, that it may be turned down out of the way for packing, or when it is not in use.

Supposingthe pistol-barrels, or one ot' them, to be loaded, and the match to be in place, and the lamp to be trimmed ready for lighting, to set the alarm it is only necessary to draw back the plunger by means of a suitable ring or handle, when the catch E will engage with the trigger and hold the plunger in the retracted position. The bell can then be engaged with its catch K.

If the alarm is set for an animal, the rod B should be baited in front of the pistol, and the alarm will be red by any7 interference with the bait.

When the apparatus is set for animals, it will, of course, not be necessary to either light the lamp or ring the bell.

If the device be set for a burglar, a cord or wire should be connected to the trigger and"""` to a door or window or window-blind in such manner that any disturbance of either will pull the trigger and set olf the alarm.

Having described the construction and operation of my improved alarm, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the spring-plunger pro` vided with the catch K, the trigger, triggerspring, and catch E with rod B, pistol-barrel H, pivoted match-support M, match-lighting projection I, and alarm-bell mounted upon a spring and provided with a notch, all constructed, arranged, and operating together as set forth, whereby a shot may be red, a light made, and a bell rung simultaneously, as specied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ANDREW J. RIDGEWAY.

Witnesses:

MARcUs S. HOPKINS, JOHN T. ARMs. 

